Kazakhstan's Water Revolution: Record Investments and Modern Irrigation Expand Rapidly

Kazakhstan has significantly boosted investments and modernisation in its water sector over the past two years. Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation Nurzhan Nurzhigitov recently updated the Mazhilis on progress towards national targets under the Sustainable Development Goals. Total investments in the water sector reached 676.7 billion tenge between 2024 and 2025. This exceeds the 569 billion tenge raised in the previous two-year period. In 2024 alone, the sector attracted around 400 billion tenge in capital, surpassing its target by 22%.

The country has accelerated the adoption of water-efficient irrigation systems. In 2024 and 2025, 150,000 hectares were equipped annually, a sharp rise from the previous average of 30,000 hectares per year. By the end of 2025, water-saving irrigation will cover 543,500 hectares, with plans to expand to 1.3 million hectares by 2030.

Infrastructure upgrades have also advanced rapidly. Nearly 1,500 kilometres of irrigation canals were lined with concrete between 2024 and 2025. Mechanised canal cleaning covered 3,158 kilometres in the same period, compared to just 678 kilometres in 2023. The ministry has also shifted to a comprehensive digitisation model, including automated control of hydraulic gates and water distribution.

Water-saving technologies in irrigated agriculture saved 874 million cubic metres of water in 2024, exceeding the target by 20%. The second phase of the Southern Kazakhstan Irrigation and Drainage Improvement Project is now 93% complete and on track for completion by the end of 2025. The expanded use of modern irrigation systems and infrastructure upgrades has already delivered measurable results. Increased investments and efficiency improvements are set to strengthen Kazakhstan’s water management capabilities in the coming years.